


Meet Me by the Nile

by WavesOver



Series: Science Fiction Double Feature [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: ... It's Yugioh, 9 times out of 10 it's Yugioh, AU, Badass Squad is BADASS, Cults, F/M, Idiots in Love, No Sailor Senshi, Slight horror, Usagi’s a damsel in distress and STILL tries to get out on her own, Yugi has lived an eventful life, at least this time the focus isn’t on him, because of course there's a mummy, cuties fightin' cults, halloween theamed, kidnapping in chapter three, mostly thriller though, mummy - Freeform, sees the "gang go to Egypt" tag, sees works written, suprise there's a secret crossover in here, the gang go to Egypt, things are silly until they're not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WavesOver/pseuds/WavesOver
Summary: Usagi and her friends won a trip to Egypt, which would be great if Mamo-baka wasn’t there as well. But soon their trip takes a sinister turn and they all have to work together to keep Usagi from being taken by a mysterious cult.Made in the spirit of Halloween, with horror, adventure, and a hint of romance along the way.
Relationships: Chiba Mamoru/Tsukino Usagi
Series: Science Fiction Double Feature [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954972
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, my 'main feature' for a little something I'm calling Science Fiction Double Feature, where I post two works every Saturday of the month leading up to Halloween. This is the story that's going to be posted every week, with a second story/chapter for another work being posted soon afterwards. Hope you enjoy and feel free to comment and leave a kudo after you're done.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where our gang of girls arrive in Egypt and meet a familiar face in the airport.

“Oh my god, we’re here!” a blond girl with buns on her head shouted out into the airport, her bright blue eyes taking in everything around her, scaring more than a few people away from the crazy girl.

“Can you keep it down,” muttered her blue-haired friend, guiding the tallest of their group out, a brunette with grass-green eyes, who was still groggy from the tranquilizers she had to take to get on the plane without having a panic attack.

“But it’s Egypt, Ami! Egypt! With magic temples, belly dancers, and cruises on the Nile!” she shouted back.

“And Mummies. Can’t forget about the Mummies!” came another blond, one with a red ribbon in her hair, a cheeky smile on her face.

“Stop it, I don’t want you telling any stories that has Usagi screaming in terror while we’re here,” the final member of their groups shouted at the ribboned one, her hair as black as night and her eyes a deep violet.

“Oh, come on Rei, I’m just having a little fun here.”

“Last time you ‘had fun’, you got us kicked out of a Three Lights concert AND a restraining order.”

“Oh please, that guy deserved it.”

“Well, well, well, it’s a small world after all.”

The group frozen from their journey to the Immigration and Customs gate, to see a familiar face. One none of them were expecting.

“You,” hissed out the bubbliest of the group, her eyes narrowed as her personal foe somehow followed her all the way here. Most of the group groaned as they prepared for another Usa-Mamo fight.

“Why are you here?” asked the bluette, who knew him better than the others due to the both of them attending the same medical school. It always stuck her as odd why he focused so much on her when he usually so quiet and self-contained at school.

He shrugged, “I was chosen by a committee to join a group that won an opportunity to come here. Something about needing to fill in the last spot. What about you, Odango Atama?”

The blond’s eyes widen before narrowing again.

“Well, it just so happens that _I_ won the contest _and_ donated the ticket to Ami-chan school, Mamo-baka. So really, you should be thanking me.”

“You, really,” he replied, a delighted light brightened his own deep blue eyes as a smirk formed on his face, “How’d that happen? Won an eating contest?”

“It was a sweepstake, you jerk,” she hissed, getting ready to throwdown her larger rival.

“Sir, Miss,” a security guard interjected, “whatever spat you had can happen in your hotel room.”

The implication of what he said shook both of them, their eyes wide as their cheeks burned red.

This was the distraction needed to drag the two to their destination, where they checked in, had their passports stamped, and were even able to get to the luggage area before they were able to get out of their stupefied state.

“We’re…. we’re not dating at all, right guys?” Usagi asked, her face red at the very suggestion. Mamoru is still somewhat stupefied, but at least he was able to grab his luggage as it comes out of the chute and into the churning belt.

“Yeah,” Minako answered, a cheery face that dropped as soon as Usagi and Mamoru recovered enough to get back to their fighting, the blond speaking to herself “Because that would require you to admit that you have feeling for one another.”

“Oh please, even if they’re into each other, it’s not like they’re going to notice without some serious intervention,” Rei stated, done already with the two of them.

They leave the airport, as despite not even being on the same continent, it’s starting to feel just like any other day in Juuban.

The group cram into the van, unaware of the eyes that followed them, trained on the girl with buns on her head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Usagi and Co arrive at the museam and talks are had under moonlight.

They gawk and awe at the streets of Cairo, how pack they are, and not just cars and buses. Motorcycles, donkeys with carts, she swears that she even saw a few people just walking straight into the roads, weaving in and out through the other vehicles as they made their way through the bustling city.

And the buildings… there were skyscrapers and hotels on one block, only for there to be a temple who’s been there longer than most governments and every sort of residence in between. It was all so exciting.

Soon the group of tourists were at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, a large building with statues from ancient times up front, far from where they were meant to be but aw-inspiring all the same. Minako jumped out first, ready to see the golden jewelry that long-dead queens use to wear, followed by Ami, of all people, excited by all that she can learn here and that her friends, for once, were just as excited about a museum as she is.

Rei left next, dragging Usagi by the ear because she was tired and just wants to stay in the van and take a nap, Mako stumbling out as she was still recovering from the _long_ flight, and finally Mamoru was able to get out, a smile on his face as he saw the energetic group of girls get ready to take the building by storm.

“Hey look, Rei, this guy’s almost as serious as you,” Minako grinned as she posed next to one of the statues of some long-forgotten king, or soldier.

Rei glared before going to one of the mummified fish, “Yeah, well this looks better than the last time you tried grilling fish.”

Minako glared back at the insult and the two of them were off trying to find other pieces of the exhibit that they can use in their little competition.

Ami, on the other hand, was trying to educate Mako and Usagi about what it was and their significance in their time period, with limited success. Meanwhile Mamoru was stand to the sides, awkward and unsure as he tries to blend into the crowd, ironically standing out even more.

And then someone came to the group.

“Excuse me, you are the Juben group?” another Japanese man said, his hair the most unusual thing he ever saw, black hair spiked up into five points with the edges dyed a magenta color, with the bangs, which fell around his face, being a golden color, with one slightly shorter bang sitting between his eyes, his outfit semi-formal with a dark violet vest over a lighter shade of the same color, which made his own violet eyes stand out all the more. That only made the collar and wrist cuff stand out even more.

“That’s us!” Usagi shouted, a huge smile on her face.

“It’s Juuban,” Mamoru hissed, feeling intimidated by the confident man in front of him… even though he was only a few inches taller then Usagi.

“From Toyko, right? I’m from Domino myself,” He said light-heartedly, “Mouto Yugi’s my name. Welcome and I’m glad that you’re here. So, how’re your group enjoying the museum so far?”

“Great!”

“Very educational.”

“Welll, it’s less shiny then I’d thought it’d be.”

“It’s very… informative.”

“Oh, when do we try on the jewelry?”

Mamoru stares on, unsure about what to say.

“…It’s alright,” he finally blurted out, trying to stay calm.

“Well,” Yugi started, wholly ignoring Mamoru’s dismissive comment, “I admit this isn’t the most thrilling place to start with, but I assure you that things only get better here on out,” he finished with a grin as he took them to a side room with tablets and desks scattered around it, with his hands spread out in a flourish.

“Welcome to the place all the action is, so to speak,” Yugi announced before going on a spiel about the translations and dating and all sorts of things that brought all but Ami into a dull stupor, until one of his colleagues came over.

“So this is the lucky group, getting a tour of this fine country with us and Miss Ishtar,” a soft voice said, and a white haired young man with a long ponytail came over, his eyes a soft brown color like a warm hot chocolate wearing a vest and jeans that one thinks of when one visualizes an archeologist.

Yugi smiled at the newcomer like an old friend.

“Yeah they are.”

The other man nodded before returning his attention to the group.

“Yes, well, thank you for coming all the way here. I’m Ryou Bakura, and I’ll be part of the group that’s going to help you as you explore one of the birthplaces of civilization,” he explained with a faint accent and a flourish.

“Bakura, hahaha, right. That’s a really nice name. Did your mom pick it out?” Mako said, her face flush at the handsome guide.

“… Um… I suppose she picked it out when she married my father?” Ryou replied awkwardly, his smile less natural and more tense.

“What? But you said your name was Ryou _Bakura_!” Usagi shouted while Mako was froze, mortified at her mistake.

“He’s not from Japan, Usagi. Let me guess… England, right?” replied not Ami, like he was expecting, but Minako.

He nodded.

“Right on that.”

“I knew it!” she grinned as she went back to their guide, “Spent some time in London for a year, myself. You?”

His grin grew more genuine now as his shoulders relaxed.

The two then went into their own conversation about London and other British things they enjoy while Ami recognized Yugi from something and started chatting about it. Rei, Mamoru, and Mako were off to the side, Rei looking like a disapproving mother, Mako an excited kid, and Mamoru like the child that was way out of his depths and just wanted to go back to the car.

But oddest of all was Usagi, who was staring at the clay tablet from the New Kingdom period, mouthing out words like she was reading them, then again in Japanese; milk, eggs, and butter.

They were so focused on their own tasks that they failed to notice that the door had opened once again to reveal a striking figure, her eyes wise and kind as she looks over them.

“I see you are enjoying yourselves,” came another voice, a smooth alto that sounds like the timeless void and hidden secrets.

A woman with dark brown skin came up to them, her eyes a garnet color that contrasts against her dark green hair.

“Yeah boss. Oh yeah, Juuban gang, this is Trish Hades, the second in demand, so to speak. We’ll be meeting Isis later today but for now, this in the lady to go to if you have any questions,” Yugi went off, a grin on his face as the groups gave their greetings to the team leader.

They then went to have a bite to eat for the day before going to their residence during their time in Cairo, taking an easy day today after the long flight there, none looking at the papers to the side of the tablet Usagi was reading, with the words milk, eggs, and butter written upon them.

***

Mamoru goes out of the living room to the balcony, wanting some air after all the games, scolding, and flirting with the guides that was going on in there. Especially on Usagi’s part.

He looks down, feelings so small and alone here, a stranger in a strange land who fails at social interactions. It’s always been that way for him, feeling like the odd one out, ever since he woke up in the hospital room with no memories and learning that his parents were dead.

He then looked up at the shining moon and like always, it brought a sense of comfort, like an old friend who isn’t there but is always thinking of you.

He sees Usagi leaning over the balcony and his heart stopped.

Visions of her going over the rail and plummeting to the concrete below came to mind.

“Don’t jump,” he shouted suddenly, like he was possessed at that moment, his arms wrapping around Odango Atama.

“Oh my god, you’re afraid of heights,” she said, her eyes bright as she learns one of her self-proclaimed enemy’s weaknesses.

“Just people falling off them,” he replied, feeling self-conscious about being called out, “And what about you? Aren’t you afraid of falling from this height?”

She shook her head.

“Actually, I’ve never felt better. Free, like a bird, if anything,” she said back, a wistful, almost nostalgic look in her eye, like some specter of the past came down and used her to recount some long dead memory.

He… can understand that, finding comfort in unusual places. Whenever he felt overwhelmed, he goes into the closet and closes the door, something about the sealed room bringing him comfort, an assurance that everything’s alright, even if it wasn’t.

“I can see that,” he said before the silence returned, the atmosphere comforting and serene, as they gaze out from the balcony, the pyramids in the distant bringing a magical feeling to the moment.

“Beautiful, right?” she says, looking at the view.

“..Yeah,” he replied, turning towards her, taking in the sight of her blond hair catching the moonlight.

And then she turned around and her eyes sparkled in the moonlight, like she was some holy being who had come in from the stars and graced the world with her presence.

His body move, leaning down, his face growing closer to the ethereal woman that somehow was within arm’s length.

And it seems like the moon did not just affect him, for she moved towards him as well, as focused on him as he is on her, she leaned up on her toes to bridge the gap that was between them.

They moved in closer, almost there, so close to their destination…

“Hey, just thought to let you know that Miss Ishtar’s here,” Ryou said, oblivious to the tension and what he had just interrupted.

They stumble away from each other, their hearts beating as they try to get their bearings.

Usagi rushes in first, with him needing a bit to calm down from… whatever that was. It wasn’t like he was going to kiss her, right? She, she’s just Odango Atama. It, it was probably the moon, it always has a way of making things seem so much better, especially annoying blonds that can trip on air.

Right?

He walks down in a sedated pace, because he wasn’t as childish as Odango Atama, as he joins the rest of the group, where Miss Ishtar, the host for their tour group across Egypt, was exchanging pleasantries with Yugi and Ryou, with Trish giving her a wary gaze for some reason. Miss Ishtar was the pinnacle of dignity and pose, her straight black hair flowing over her shoulders, with two pieces in the front being separated by two golden tubes that look like they came from one of the exhibits that they saw this morning, giving her a kind of symmetry that’s a bit unnerving, her eyes a clear, steady blue that look like they know all as she nodded at whatever it is that Yugi said.

“Ack, I’m here, I’m here,” Odango Atama shouts as she comes from… her room?”, holding some sort of gift bag in it.

“Here, this is something that I got, since you’re hosting us and taking us all over the place here!”

Miss Ishtar took the gift with a nod, bemused by something as Usagi smiles back, her grin wide as she rocks back and forth on her feet like an excited school girl.

“Thank you, and I am glad that you had no troubles on the way here.”

“Pardon me for interrupting,” Ami asked, a bit nervous but still moving forward, “but are you sure everything’s going to be alright? I’ve read a few stories of some recent terrorist activities in the area and I wanted to make sure everyone’s safe.”

Yugi gives a bit of a disapproving stare as he starts explaining that she’s thinking of one of the neighboring countries and how safe their travel itinerary is and something else before Ishtar raised her hand and he became silent, before she gave them all a calming smile.

“Don’t worry,” Miss Ishtar said with a curious smile, like there’s some cosmic joke she knows and doesn’t want to tell them.

“I believe you’ll have the time of your life.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Adventure is had... in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gives Pluto Trish as her name here*
> 
> *CWi dub gives her the name Trista*
> 
> Guess I’ll just die.

And so, the group of Japanese girls (plus Mamoru) started their tour around Cairo, touring the bazaars (with Mako getting a great deal on many, many spices), seeing the Giza pyramids, (Usagi insisted on having a least thirty group shots in front of them and the sphinx, including Yugi, Ryou, Trish and Mamoru. She tried to get Miss Ishtar in, but she insisted on staying out, taking all the shots, even suggesting that there was one where Usagi was a queen and the others her subjects), exploring several of the Mosques throughout the city (Rei appreciated the scarves that were offered at the entrance of the Mosque… she was less appreciated Minako’s complaints about it), the synagogue that was made after a Jewish man helped the local Christian pay the taxes to the government in exchange for the building, the church carved into the side of the mountain, the step pyramid and accommodating museum, a festival that they just happened to be around for, and it was all finished up with a tour on a cruise line down the Nile where they saw both men and women belly dance (Minako was disappointed but all the clothes on the male dancers). It was such an exciting time. And this was just the first leg of their journey.

Soon they were at the gorgeous Sharm El-Sheikh where they had real Mediterranean pizza and snorkeled through the little reef there, a full three days in Alexandria where they visited the Bibliotheca, Fort Qaitbey, Kom el-Dikka, Pompey's Pillar, and Montazah Gardens, went to the temples of Hathor, rode across the Sahara and White desert, visited the Ras El-Tin and Aisha Fahmy Palace, and even stayed a night at the Sinai monastery before hiking up the mountain early in the morning to see a spectacular view (Usagi rode up a camel, something that Miss Ishtar insisted on paying for).

And now they were on an overnight train, going to the valley of the kings before exploring Luxor, tickets ready to see the Luxor and Karnak temples, a stop and Abydos Temple outside the city, before finishing off in Miss Ishtar’s hometown for a homecooked meal to round out the trip.

There was so much on the trip, and not only the odd atmosphere between Usagi and Mamoru, with long stares, glances whenever they think the other isn’t looking, and blushing whenever they touched each other, but also the tense, almost antagonistic relationship between Ishtar and Trish Hades.

It was… concerning seeing Miss Ishtar and Trish together, the way they are so polite and respectful to each other, and yet how cold and impersonal each interaction is. And yet, he can’t help but think that in another life, he could easily see the two of them being the best of friends. They were so similar after all, like two garments made from the same cloth but shaped so differently that the two clash together whenever together.

But just because they seem so… snipy with each other doesn’t mean anything, right?

****

It’s been a _looong_ day and Minako was ready to go to bed yesterday, especially after the long drive to Miss Ishtar’s home town, Anbe, which was a good half day from the rest of the nation it feels like. In fact, it was so distant, Ami wasn’t able to find it on any map she had. It was almost suspicious…

But everyone was so nice here, and they even had buildings that had been here since the time of the Pharaohs. Like the real pharaohs and not the romans who planted themselves here and declared themselves pharaohs, as the town elder told them as he smoked his huka, or whatever it is in that jar by his side.

They had a fantastic meal made by Miss Ishtar’s aunt, and she even flirted a bit with Marik, Miss Ishtar’s hot brother, who flirted back, but there was that sense of wrongness, like every word is calculated and he’s imagining things far sharper than nails running down her back. And the way all of them looked at Usagi… it was almost… reverent, not in a romantic, ‘you’re so beautiful, the stars hide in shame’, way… but something…. Darker…

She shuts her eyes, trying to bring up fantasies of guys in speedos and girls in bikinis, things to get her off that weird feeling she’s been having… but no luck.

Wellll, actually all luck, because someone came in. She pretended to be asleep, something she’s practiced for years living with her mom, as the invader walks over, each step another jolt into her heart.

Soon they were over her, as she hears the blade slide out from its holder.

Fabric rustles as she moves, her arm getting nicked as she pushes her attacker to the ground, her arm pressing down on their neck as they try to get her off. But she’s not going to let up, not even for a moment.

Soon the body stopped moving. She gets up, taking in the fact that she was attacked.

**CRASH!**

That _they_ were attacked. In their sleep even. The nerve.

She ties the jerk up, making sure the knots are extra tight, before she exits, alert and with a walking stick for a weapon.

And Rei said it was a stupid thing to buy.

There were more in the hall, Mako luging the latest one out of Ami’s room, Rei nowhere to be seen.

She sneaks close to the bulging brunette, checking in the room to see Ami, awake and afraid.

“So where’s Rei?” she whispers, not wanting to alert any other goons that are around.

“Oh, you know, she’s,” a scream and a thud as Rei drags another out to the hall, “around.”

Rei drops the arm as she joins them, huffing as the last two of their group come out.

“Do you have any idea who they are?” Mako asks.

Rei shakes her head before taking another deep breath, “No, and it seem like there’s no one else in the house, so we can assume that everyone was in on it.”

“Either that, or they were already dealt with,” she says, because while she can see Ishtar and the rest of her eerie family, Trish seems to have some spat, always keeping an eye out, as if she’s expecting something, or some _one_ there. And the two boys were too friendly, too open, to be planning a murder grab and go. At least she thinks so.

“Well, the best thing to do is call the police and let them handle it,” Mamoru state, as if they _weren’t_ in a town miles away from the rest of the world.

“And what if they’re in on it?” Rei shot back, a chilling idea which, considering how much sway Ishtar had in getting them into exclusive places and the like, actually sound right on the yen.

They go at each other as she and Mako tie up the rest of the goons, Ami getting her medical supplies out, because of course she brings a first aid kit.

Tensions rise as they all start panicking, fear and anger in the air as they deal with the fact they were all just attacked.

And then Ami asked something that brought chills down their spines

“Wait, where’s Usagi?”

They ran to Usagi’s room, terrified to see her stabbed like a pincushion, only to discover that she wasn’t there.

****

She groans as she feels herself waking up for the day, feeling groggy and tired and just wanting to go back to sleep. So, she takes the sheets and proceeds to cover herself, just wanting to stay there forever, the bed firm as stone beneath her.

She hears soft steps coming in that somehow echo, like in the temples and tombs that they had visited just the day before.

She prepares for a struggle, for Ami polite scolding, Rei yelling, Mako’s food to tempt her out of bed, and even Minako jumping on her bed and dragging her out… but nothing happened.

Not even Mamo-baka teasing her about sleeping in so late.

It was that that brought her out of dream land, where she finds that her bed _was_ stone and…

She looked down, finding herself in the same kind of dress that the women had in the drawings in the tombs... the… she couldn’t remember but the fact she’s wearing this and no her cute pink Jigglypuff pajamas was freaking her out.

“I see you have awakened.”

She turns to see Miss Ishtar, dressed up like a priestess from the ancient Egyptian re-enactments, her eyes both blank and all-knowing as she gazes down on her. She wraps her arms around herself, seeking comfort and protection from those pitiless eyes, trying to make herself feel better, if only for a moment.

“Wh-what’s going on? Why am I here? Ho-“ she starts, trying to make sense of what’s going on, before the other woman raised her hand up, ever-poised, as her other hand makes a coming motions. Were there people there?

“I have something that I’d like to see,” Miss Ishtar said as bulky guys move a huge stone coffin into the room, covered in gold if she remembers what it said in the museums.

She moved slowly, afraid that something would slip out if she moved too fast, not trusting any of them as she moved towards the front, both terrified about what she’d see but wanting, no, _needing_ to see what it is that’s there.

When she got there, she saw… herself looking back, her face molded into a golden mask for the queen underneath, her face so blank and void of any emotion.

“W-who is…” she stuttered, still trying to wrap her head about the mask with her face, her body shaking at the sight, not understanding in the slightest.

“That,” Miss Ishtar said, each word carrying weight as she spoke, “is Satiah, the queen of the Nameless Pharaoh, the one sacrificed his name and legacy to save the world. A great man, who powerful yet selfless, forgoing his place in the afterlife to protect his kingdom.”

She then moves to another coffin.

“But the founder of the Tombkeepers knew that there would be a day when the Pharaoh would be needed once again, to cleanse the land of corruption and greed, to return to the land of the living so he may join his breatharian and gain his holy reward.”

She snapped and the guys who brought in the slab-with-her-face went over to the new one and stated pushing, with Miss Ishtar mixing up a concoction and preparing them while doing some chant… something about bringing the dead to life?

“But to do that he’d need a reason. A person, one who could hold his heart and bring him peace and strength, one who can continue his legacy.”

She pours the mix into the coffin, says more of her chant, before pulling out a… _Is that a snake?!?!_

Blood flows into the casket, as she sees herself in front of it, her throat cut open just like the snakes.

But the next sentence stops such fears… because what they planned is _much worse_.

“And who better than his queen from times long past.”

A hand shot out from the coffin, the blood and potion mix being absorbed by the mummy as he emerges from it, she turns away, not wanting to see it. To see the thing emerge, to even _think_ about what they’re planning.

She tries to calm down, tries to think of a way of getting out, to do _something,_ but all she can think about was the thing behind her, of that caged feeling she’s had since she woke up, and the loss of everything, every _one_ she held, dear.

Mama. Papa. Shingo. Naru. Motoki. Luna and Artemis. Ami. Mako. Minako. Rei.

_Mamoru_.

She can _feel_ herself trying to hold back tears, not wanting them to take any more from her, but then again, Miss Ishtar seems to have a knack for saying the worst thing in the worst time.

“My Pharaoh, Satiah is ready,” she said, a calm and eerie tone that make her think of dreary butlers and haunted mansions.

She smelt it before she saw it, a pungent, musty odor that makes her skin crawl. And then she saw him.

A shambling mummy, dried out skin stretched over salted muscles and bones, the corpse only covering enough that she doesn’t have to see the parts where he was cut open to take out the organs.

His dead eyes met her own, with even the red of his eyes watered down and dull after all the years of being human jerky.

He jerks forward, like a puppet on wooden poles, until he was right in front of her. She screams as she scrambles back, terrified about everything that is happening.

She turns terrified eyes and Miss Ishtar, who looks at her with a serene gaze.

“I’ll leave you to it,” she said before exiting the chamber, leaving her alone with only the decayed body with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anyone asks, yes, most of these places are real, yes, I know that the Sinai monastery is called St. Catherine’s, but it’s not like there are that many monasteries at the foot of Mount Sinai, so they’ll probably just refer to it as that, yes there are the Saqqara and Dhashur pyramids, but this trip is flashy sight-seeing before death/kidnapping, so the step pyramids will be skipped over, along with other sites that are there.
> 
> As for the final part… what people have to keep in mind that while Usagi’s a reincarnated ancient Egyptian queen… she’s also a girl who has abysmal grades and would probably not know the specific names for certain object, more or less pay as much attention to the chant being said, never mind the fact that she’s been kidnapped and in a very breezy dress in the same room as _two_ sarcophaguses.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In where a resue occurs... along with an attack.

“Wh-where’s Usagi?” Ami stuttered as the other three girls go searching through the room, checking to see if she’s just hiding under the bed or in the closet to hide from the invaders, all the while Mamoru stared at the empty bed, his body trembling at the thought that they had already-

More people came crashing in, guns and swords at the ready, Mako and Rei taking fighting stances while he, Ami, and Minako grabbed whatever they can to use as makeshift weapons.

The air was tense as they prepared for the fight of their lives, unsure if they will even make it.

The leaders gun cocked, ready to send the first shot. He had almost pulled the trigger when…

WHAM!

Trish slammed a bat straight to his head.

Yugi and Ryou joined in, Ryou just picking up the guns and throwing them away while Yugi punched and jabbed and kept the attention on him as Mako and Rei used their strength and precise hits to take them down, Minako knocking out more than a few people with the overstuffed suitcase that Usagi brought with her.

He managed to slam one to the ground before he got shot at, where he then moved the mattress over him and Ami, making a safe area where they can shield Ryou and Rei, who was dealing with a concussion after she got hit in the head with a gun. Yugi soon came over, a few superficial wounds from dodging gunfire but overall fine.

Soon there was silence.

He looked over seeing all the black-cloaked figures on the ground, with Mako, Trish, and Minako standing over them.

“Hurry, we must go,” Trish stated as she dashed away, the rest of them following.

“Wait, what’s going on?” “Who are they?” “Where’s Usagi?” “How did they get in?” they asked over each other as they all piled into the jeep, fear and panic rising with each question.

But then Yugi asked something that chills the rest of the group.

“Does it have any to do with Isis Ishtar? Is she part of this?”

The roar of the engine is the only thing heard for miles as Trish says nothing, her silence answer enough.

“But why? Why would the director of Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities be part of this?” Ami asked, because she did her research. The rest of her friend gawk at her because having such an important person meeting with a random group of Japanese tourists in their early twenties makes this trip look even _more_ shady.

“She had no choice. Or at least, she didn’t think she was doing anything wrong.”

“And what’s _that_ suppose to mean?”

“Isis is part of a cult, probably since the day she was born. An influential cult. One that has members in all levels of government,” she stated plainly, her eyes focused ahead as they drove forward, a determined glint in them

“Then why are we here, as some kind of sacrifice?” Rei hissed.

“No, you are just collateral, the one they needed is Usagi.”

“But why? She’s not a threat. She’s never even _been_ outside the country before this,” Ami shouted, anger and panic mixing together in her voice, her rarely-seen rage emerging like hidden ice to crash against those who took her friend.

“It’s not who she _is_ , it’s who she was. In her case, the reincarnation of their ‘glorious pharaoh’s’ sister wife. Complete with the same bun hairstyle.”

“ ** _What_**?” they all shouted, even Yugi and Ryou, who she really should have told sooner.

“Don’t ask me how I know, that’s too long for this ride. The point is that they have a spell where they can bring the long dead pharaoh to life, but he needs to bond with someone of this plane to come back permanently, and they think she’s the key.”

“And what exactly does he have that modern weaponry doesn’t?” Rei shouted, pissed at everything and wanting to chuck every item she got with Ishtar’s card into the river.

“Monsters. Magic. Illusions that will drive men insane in an instant. Take your pick.”

“So… like the Atlantis thing, right?” Yugi butts in, acting way too calm about this.

Trish eyes him before nodding, as if that means anything to the rest of them.

“Oh, but how are they doing that? I mean, the Ba only travels down to be with the Ib, and if they are taking it out of the sarcophagus, _that_ means that they are damning the Akh of their pharaoh. Why would they even think this is a half-way good idea?” Ryou rants, enraged for the mummy that’s being brought back.

There was a pause before Trish spoke.

“Because he has no Ren.”

****

Her heart pounds hard in her chest as she stares at the corpse that Miss Ishtar (oh god, how many people are in the cult) had left her with, it’s glowing red eyes searing into her as it stand there, like some horrifying mannequin that you’d find in a haunted house, the musty smell almost worse than… whatever mummies are supposed to smell like.

She lifts up one of the urns, thankful for all the weight training she did to get sexy arms as she sneaks out of the room, keeping her urn close by just in case. The mummy doesn’t follow. Which is weird, because _she_ said that he was waiting for her, so why wasn’t he-

“My lad- wait, what are you doin-“ the cult guy started before she hit him square on the head with her urn, the pot shattering as she goes into a sprint, the dress she woke up in _far_ too breezy but it’s not like she has any time to find her stuff.

She started running, heart racing as she rushes through the winding halls, searching for some way, _any_ _way_ out of this nightmare!

Each step, each hall, there’s no telling if she finds help, or “help”.

The halls start blending together. She hears footsteps, her heart pounding as she crouches down, hoping they don’t see her, that they wouldn’t try and drag her back into that room, to do…

“Usagi?”

“Rei!” she shouts as she jumps up and runs over to her, wrapping her arms tight around her.

“Usagi!” Minako joined in, and in familiar company, she cried, bawling her eyes out as she feels that things are going to get better.

That she’s going to go home, away from mummies and cults and-

Shuffling echoes through the hall, shattering those dreams.

She spots it. Those terrifying, vacant eyes. Minako grabs her by the arm as she drags her off, Rei bringing out an ofuda, something she felt that she had to bring.

She somehow manages to hear Rei’s cleansing ritual, the slap of the paper… and the shuffling as it pushes Rei away, the ward not even slowing it down.

They move faster, Minako practically pushing her as they try to escape the relentless force behind them, until they find the cut rope, the edges smooth, as they look down two halls.

Minako must have spotted something because she shouts for her to go to the right while pushing her left. She ran, and behind her she hears Minako’s footsteps echo away from her.

She finds the other end of the rope line and grabs hold, hoping against hope that Minako and Rei come out safe.

****

Trish brought them over to an entrance, an entrance that was lost to time, according to her.

“So they wouldn’t be protecting it, right?” Yugi piped in, a small smirk on his face.

A nod as she presses in sequence and an opening appears.

“Wait, is it safe?” Ami asks, anxious about the aperture that appeared.

Another nod from Trish, who went to the truck and brought out some rope, medical supplies, water, and snacks.

“O.K. I get the plan,” Minako said, “We’re doing something like that Orpheus * ”Perseus, Minako” * Yeah, yeah, what the Greek guy did in the maze and the rope’s suppose to lead us back. But _I_ think that we should do it in teams, you know, cover group to lose the eggs faster * ”… Does she mean don’t put all our eggs in the same basket?” “You’re guess is as good as mine.” * Sooo,” she states, bring out some straws, “We’ll draw for it.”

Most of them look apprehensive as they grab their straw, with Ami and Trish staying behind to care for the injured and getting the car ready for the get-away.

The draw was settled, with Rei and Minako going in with the rope. The rest chose to be on standby near the entrance, with Ryou opting to join Ami in medic duty.

Rei and Minako went on in, hoping to just find Usagi as the rest of them wait for the tug, either as a sign they found her or that they needed help. His heart pounded fast as he stares on, his thoughts filled with grizzly images of what’s happening inside, each moment feeling like an eternity.

The rope is tight as Rei and Minako go deeper and deeper inside, Mamoru trying to force himself to relax, a fruitless endeavor, really. Mako, for her part, went to chat with Yugi, asking about the Atlantis thing, and he explains, and Mamoru gets taken in to the tall tales, because they _can’t_ be true… can they?

He choses to focus on the rope, how tight and tant it is as the two go further in to find Usagi, how it’s doing more than _he_ is, how-

The rope drops, and with it his heart.

“What?” he shouts as he comes down, hoping that this is some prank from Minako.

“Hm? What happened?” Yugi asked as he and Mako came over to check the loose line.

“Someone must have cut it,” he stated as he tugs the cord, which just hangs slack when he drops it.

“Should we go in?”

“No, that might be playing into their trap.”

“Well, better that then doing nothing.”

Footsteps echo as someone runs towards them, cutting off the argument they were having.

They stood still, slowly moving into a fighting position as they wait, ready for anything.

Anything except Usagi, who dashed into their line of sight and brought relief to them all.

She took a break, leaning on the wall as she takes some deep breaths, each puff showing off the white column dress that she was in, bringing to mind both ancient queens and virgins sacrificed on dark alters.

“MAKO-CHAN! YUGI-KUN! MAMORU-CHAN!” the shrieking girl screams out as she runs towards them, her eyes red and teary eyed, but there was so much joy and disbelief and urgency as she rushes through the hall until she trips. He rushes towards her, trying to help her up and finally leave this place.

“Are you alright?” he asks, because he has to, because he wants to make sure, because he doesn’t know _what_ to do if she-

She shakes her head, because of course he’s stupid asking that, she’s clearly not alright, being trapped in a tomb with a mummy and the cult that-

She stands on shaky legs as she limps to the exit with him, with her leaning against him as they move closer to the exit, to freedom, footsteps echoing as someone goes into the halls, though he honestly couldn’t care right now. No, all his attention is on her, this silly bun-head who, under his very nose, stole his heart, his eyes and ears focused in on her as she rambles on, trying to find some sense of normalcy in all this.

“I… I just want to go home. I want to see Mama and Papa and Luna and eat ice cream until I puke and play video games with my friends and go on a date and-“

“You’ve never been on a date?” he asks, because that’s honestly the most surprising thing to him.

She blushes, “Yeah, I mean, I got offers, but… none of them felt right. And the few kind-of dates were tricks that really don’t count because, well, they _tricked_ me and I don’t want to be with someone who has to lie to force me when they could have just _asked_ and-“

“Now where are _you_ going?”

They turned around as they saw the brother, the younger one, pitless eyes both somehow amused and pissed at the same time, like a cat that was bitten by a cat that

“I think you’ve done enough, now Sati-

“Her name is Usagi!” Mako and him shout at the same time, him shielding her from his eyes as he moves backwards,

“Well, _Satiah_ better get her ass back in the room before the Pharaoh does it for her!”

And then it appears, a mummy, a living mummy, shambling past the pest and coming straight towards them.

He froze, just for a moment, before a scream from behind brings him back to reality, and he knows what he must to.

He moves his body to a fighting stance, hoping to give them some time, any time, as those blank eyes glower at him.

He tried to fight off the monster, the unfeeling corpse that was trying to get at Usagi, but it was too strong, it’s unyielding force easily overpowered him, pushing him flat on his back, knocking the wind out of him. It then marched menacing towards Usagi, its red eyes glowing in the darkened cavern, no hint of humanity in its once noble form.

He twists his body, and sees her, her eyes staring at the monster in fear, tears running down her cheeks, and that was enough to make him ignore the pain that shoot through him, the fears of meeting such a creature, and he rushes up before tackling the creature, giving the two of them those extra few minutes they need to escape.

Her wide eyes look at his own.

“Get out! Run!”

Usagi’s too frightened to move, seeing someone she cares for risking themselves for her and how helpless she feels in this situation, but Mako’s not so intimidated, picking her up and rushing towards the entrance.

But there were an almost uncanny amount of guards there, willing to do whatever it took to make their prophecy a reality.

The creature thrashed around, swinging him around as he tried to keep a hold on the terrifying thing. Until he hit the walls of the cavern.

The monster must have felt his hold weaken, because he repeated those actions again and again, each hit hurting more and more until his arms let go for just a moment.

That was all the corpse needed.

He’s thrown towards the side of the cavern wall, pain all along the side that had hit it, as he slumps down, he hears Mouto scream as he too tackles the tenacious corpse of a long-dead pharaoh as his visions fades, the last thing he hears is Usagi screaming out his name in anguish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rant that Ryou’s saying is a (very) abridged account of the Egyptian concept of a soul, which is there are five parts; Ba (soul/personality), Ka (life force), Akh (spirit), Ren (name), and Shuyet (shadow). The body is housed in the Ib (body), which is what they are resurrecting, and the cult hoped to use the sacrifices of Ka and Usagi to bring the Ba and Akh into the Ib, where he will, hopefully gain back his Shuyet and Ren, and with them gaining control and destroying the corrupt and wicked and rewarding them for their loyalty to him. You know, typical cult thoughts and prayers.  
> The source I used is [ here](https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/soul/), and I would like to remind anyone reading that I am writing this for fun, I’m probably not accurate and if you want more information, you should go to a more credited source than a fanfic writer who has problems with time-management.


	5. Chapter 5

The lights are bright as he awakens, his head hurting like nobody’s business as he tries to recall the last thing he-

Wait, Usagi, the mummy, are they-

He turns to see a sleeping Usagi beside him, her hand clamped onto his own, her mouth in a grimace as he smiles at the sight, giving a squeeze in return, with her face relaxing into a serene look, before going back to sleep, sure that the mummy is dead and gone. After all, why would he let go of the one that he and his followers were working so hard to get?

*******

When he next awakes, he’s no longer holding her hand. If fact, given the brightness of the room, he’d say that she’s in the cafeteria. He slowly opens his eyes to see a welcome sight; Ami, Rei, Mako, and even Minako in the room, glad to see he’s conscious.

“Oh thank goodness you’re awake,” Ami sighed in relief before going to get Usagi, who was indeed getting lunch, “And you have to make sure to eat your own as well.”

He nods his head to her as she leaves, picking a bit at the tray in front of him before taking a bit, ignoring the taste and texture as he goes through the so-called “food”. At least there’s _one_ constant.

“So… what did I miss?” he asked awkwardly, knowing they survived but not much more than that.

“Well,” Minako started, “When we found Usagi, we were like, half-way through the place, almost to the center if Ryou’s right from the blueprint. By the way, did you know that they had blueprints of the place just to make sure the tomb’s secure?

Anyway, we were half-way in when we found her, because Usagi pretty much blitzed out of there as soon as she could, you know, and good on her, doing it in such a risqué number… But you saw that, riiiight? Anyway, we were using the rope when who comes in but the mummy! All gross and stoic and all that and what does Rei do? She whips out a ofuda and * **SMACK** * Straight on the forehead. Which was really sick… too bad it didn’t work.

Anyway, Rei went it to tackle h-it, and we ran, following the rope for dear life, when what do you know? Someone cut the line! And there was a split path, too. But, you know what? I _saw_ the rope disappearing one way, and the mummy was closing in, so I shouted for her to go one way, but got her moving the _other_ way while I went the way I shouted. Tricked the corpse for a while… until the big, ponytail guy knocked me down. He was like, a wall, and then Ishtar came in with an unconscious Rei being held by some other guy, which shows she means business, and we all came the entrance, well, _our_ entrance when * ** _POOF_** * there was this super bright light and we’re safe and all that jazz. And yeah, that’s what happened.”

“And the mummy?”

There was an awkward pause as Minako bit her lip, Rei massaged the bridge of her nose, and Mako grasped her hands so tightly, they were shaking.

“Well, the good news is that we don’t have to worry about the mummy guy,” Mako said, a smile that’s too wide to be natural stretching across her face, her hands wringing together as she looked to the side.

“What do you mean?”

And then Minako, who he didn’t even notice, fell from her chair and stated laughing her guts out.

He stared at the crazy reaction, especially since the last thing he remembered was being tossed aside by a rotting corpse.

“… you don’t want to know,” Rei shouted as Minako continued laughing in the background.

“…What?”

Yugi came into the room at that point, a man wrapped around his chest like a monkey.

“Hey, is everything O.K. in here?” He asked, his smile both content and self-conscious at the same time.

Mamoru looks at Yugi like he was crazy and then he looked at his hanger-oner.

His _red-eyed_ hanger-oner.

“What the heck is **he** doing here?” He shouted, ready to get out of this bed and shield Usagi from the creature that had tried to force itself on her.

Wait, was she even in the room?

“Well,” Mako coughed, before looking away, “you seeee…” 

_He went towards the mummified remains of the nameless pharaoh, trying to save Usagi from being forced to repeat the past, or at least giving her and Mako enough time to leave the tombs._

_He saw how Mamoru was savagely beaten by the monstrosity that Miss Ishtar and her clan had resurrected, but if he could at least save one person, that was more the enough._

_He wrapped him arms around the long-dead king, bracing himself for a beating that would rival any of the ones he got in high school._

_But that was not to be, because two things happened at that moment._

_First, the dried remains of the mummy were rejuvenated, muscle grew, skin plumped, blood pumped, even his hair was restored to what it was in life. Eyes that had been so cold and emotionless were filled with light and life, like someone who had been imprisoned underground had finally escaped and seen the sun for the very first time._

_Next, there was a cool, calming feeling that spread over him and the being in his arms, like a piece that you didn’t know you were missing was found and snapped back into place._

_And then the being in his arm, who was so calm for someone who had unexpectedly been brought back into the world of the living, remembered the arms he was in. And screamed._

“Soo, the entire ‘kidnapping Usagi’ was…”

“Useless, because _Apparently_ , the fucking pharaoh that they brought back from the fucking dead is a fucking gay disaster,” Rei shouts as the resurrected mummy glares at her, shouting in ancient Egyptian in a surprisingly deep voice for his size.

Rei shouted back in Japanese, with Yugi and Mako trying to calm both of them down and Minako’s still laughing her guts out. The nurse so happened to come in at that moment at kicked all of them out.

He breathed for a moment, before realizing that Usagi wasn’t there. Is… is she…

The door opened, with an anxious Usagi shuffling in, looking far better than someone who was kidnapped by a crazy and terrifying cult then anyone has any right to be.

“Hey,” she said, so nervous and unsure, so unlike her usual self.

“Hey,” he dumbly said back.

A lull came over the room as they stared at the other, neither of them knowing what to say, what could be said, after all that has happened.

But finally, one of them broke it, timid and unsure but brave all the same.

“You know, it was really brave. Trying to save me like that,” Usagi said, her cheeks pink as she looked away from him.

“I guess, but that’s just what anyone would do, especially for someone like you” he mumbled, hoping she didn’t catch that.

“Someone like me? What’s that supposed to mean?” she turned towards him and his breath catches in his throat. Has she always been so gorgeous? Or has he been stupid this entire time?

No, he’s known for a while… and he keeps up the insults to make sure that she’s always focused on him, like a child.

He turns his gaze from her, feeling small and childish for all the antagonism that he has given her over the years. Is he even worth of being near her? Doe-

She forcefully turns his head to meet her fiery blue eyes, an adorable pout on her face.

“What do you mean by someone like me, Mamo-chan?” she asked again, her words tinted with some unknown quality that makes him want to tell her everything.

“I mean someone who’s so bright and full of life and love and… Did you just call me Mamo-chan?” his face stretched into a smirk, as he looks her in the eyes.

Her face grows red.

“Welll, when you were…. Down and all… I… I realized something. Something that I’ve been feeling for a long time. Something that I thought I was never going to get. But… now I can,” she said with a determined glint in her eyes, her face toning down a bit as she sits on the cot besides him.

“I love you, Mamoru.”

He froze, because what else are you suppose to do when the one you’ve been obliviously in love with for years says that they love you.

“… Yeah, that was kind of stupid,” she turned away, tears almost ready to shed as she gets ready to leave, because he’s too stupefied to answer.

He grabs her by the arm, still somewhat stupefied but not wanting her to think that he doesn’t love her back, because he does. He does and he wants to spent the rest of his life showing her just how much.

“Would this be a good answer?’ he replied as he moved towards her, with her moving towards him in turn, their lips touching ever so lightly yet it felt like lightning through his veins. Something she agreed with because soon they were in an intense make-out session on his bed, one that the rest of their little gang hooting and hollering and Minako giving Rei the stink eye as she hands over the yen.

It was worth all the pain and cracked ribs that he had right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cult: *spends shitloads of money, time, & effort finding their king’s sister-wife reincarnation*
> 
> Pharaoh: *brought back to the world of the living by the archeology student already there*
> 
> Cult: *surprised Pikachu face*
> 
> Or:
> 
> Why an old-ass cult’s plan to resurrect a long dead Pharaoh was almost foiled due to compulsive heterosexual assumptions.


End file.
